Madsen May Add to 'Number 23'

By
Borys Kit
| Posted Jan. 18, 2006, midnight

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Virginia Madsen is in negotiations to play Jim Carrey's wife in "The Number 23," New Line Cinema's psychological thriller being directed by Joel Schumacher. Contrafilm's Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson are producing. Also joining the film are Rhona Mitra and Danny Huston.

Elizabeth Shue had been cast in the wife role in November but recently stepped down when she learned she was pregnant. The studio had been in talks with Nicole Kidman, but a deal was never reached because of scheduling conflicts. The movie begins shooting Monday in Los Angeles.

In the film, written by Fernley Phillips, Carrey comes across an obscure book titled "The Number 23." As he reads it, he becomes increasingly convinced that the book is based on his own life. His obsession with the number 23 starts to consume him to the point that he soon realizes that the book forecasts far graver consequences for his life than he could ever have imagined.

Madsen's character is Carrey's wife, who also is a character in the book. Huston will portray the couple's mutual friend, who Carrey thinks is after his wife, while Mitra will play a character in the book called Suicide Girl.

Madsen, who is repped by CAA, was nominated for an Oscar for her work in "Sideways" and next appears opposite Harrison Ford in "Firewall."

Huston can be seen in "The Constant Gardener" and will next be seen in "The Proposition, " which will screen at Sundance. His other upcoming appearances include "Marie-Antoinette" and "Children of Men." Huston is repped by ICM, Evolution and Victoria Belfrage.

Mitra, repped by CAA and Brillstein-Grey, is best known for her work on "Boston Legal." She will next be seen in the feature "Skinwalkers."